Up for sale is the last Powerplay 33' Center Console ever built by Dan Wienstein. It is titled as a 2004, but it wasn't finished and delivered until early 2005 when Dan's company went into receivership. Powerplay didn't title any boats after 2004, although they finished the last 3-4 in 2005. The majority of Powerplays produced were sportdeck boats, built for people who had been through a variety of other offshore boats, such as Cigarettes & Skaters, but wanted something bullet-proof. I'm one of those guys.

Most of the Powerplay Center Consoles were shipped to the Caribbean because the boats were known for rough water capability, strength and longevity. These boats were often used for shuttles because they were fast, light and subsequently fuel efficient. Mostly, they could be put into service for decades without fear of failure. If your protocol is for ride quality and a stable hull when guests are moving about, then a wide beam, heavy, center console may be your best choice, UNLESS you intend to tow it or trailer it. For towing, a narrow beam, light hull will be your best choice. They track better and add less resistance.

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If you intend to trailer a large center console, such as a Jupiter, Contender, Intrepid, Bahamas, Venture, etc... you will need a 3/4 ton or one ton diesel, preferably a dually, but you will still have a problem with the beam of these boats going through toll booths or narrow roads. The 33' Powerplay has a trailer-friendly beam of 8-feet. With a pair of Mercury 250 EFI's, plus trailer, it comes in around 8500 pounds, which means it can be easily towed with a 2-wheel drive truck such as the Ford F150 or any full-size sport utility vehicle; Expedition, Tahoe, etc. I've done it for years.

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All of the center console Powerplays were cuddies. In the final years of production, they were all fitted with Euro-style, flush mounted hardware. The cuddy has a flush hatch located at center for ventilation, as well as a recessed and covered anchor locker, shown at the forefront of this picture...

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This boat has 315 original hours. It's equipped with a pair 2005 Merc 250 EFI's. I just had both brains put on the Merc diagnostic computer and it only has 1.9 hours over 5000 rpm. These motors will turn 5700-5800 with a top end of 66.7 mph on GPS. The majority of hours on the computer were under 3500 RPM's. It's important to note why the 3.0 litre EFI's were chosen for this rig. They are well-documented 'work-horse' motors, often used by government boats for simplicity and reliability. They don't have the complications or cost of repairs like Optimax motors. They are easy to work on and many of these motors go well over 3000 hours, only needing a fresh pair of rings in a rebuild. There is another benefit too, they are fast! While I've pegged the throttles a few times for short bursts, they are also thirsty, which has kept my 'need for speed' in check. The boat has never been run hard. It's mostly been used for the YF editorial crew for pictures.

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Only a couple Powerplays were built with hard tops. Most of them had an arch with a retractable, canvas bimini. Had Powerplay stayed in business, this was the new hardtop arch. Please note, the Bazooka 'monkey balls' have been removed. The sound system is more than sufficient without them and I got tired of hitting my head on 'em!

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To this day, the center console on a Powerplay is among the best in the business, UNLESS you intend to mount large display screens. I'm old school when it comes to electronics on a boat... I don't want any! All I need is RPM's, water pressure, amps and a fuel gauge. Anything more is simply something to break. The result is an extremely clean helm. Please note a flip down foot pedestal has been added in front of the bolster for comfort. This picture was taken before the installation.

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In the up position, the aft seat is comfortable and mostly, unobtrusive when it's not needed. Access to the battery switches, oil tanks, batteries and primer bulbs are through the wide deck hatch behind the seat. Did I say primer bulbs? Yes... old school is easy and reliable! On that subject, the boat is equipped with a SeaStar steering system. Ultra reliable and proven. Also silky smooth to turn. Absolutely no torque is felt in the wheel, no matter the trim or speed.

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The steering wheel tilts fore & aft. There were two sizes of windscreens made by Powerplay, a tall and a shorty. The latter was chosen for this boat. The drink holder in the upper left was held on with double sided tape. I removed and replaced it with 4 counter-sunk drink holders that span the upper ledge.

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Under the helm, simplicity rules. I have no idea why an amplifier with abstract art was chosen during the fit-out, but it works fine. The speakers are made by Bazooka. There are 6 of them, but one of the speakers is blown. Cost is about $35. Time to replace is about 5 minutes. I may do this in the next couple of weeks if my schedule allows.

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The boat has a complete Sunbrella boat cover. It cost $3500 and it was money well spent. It's in excellent condition. BTW, this boat has rarely sat uncovered; maybe a total of 4 weeks a year, when I'm using it. Otherwise, it stays covered. Also note, the bottom of the hull appears to be discolored in this photo, but it is a reflection of the pavement below. The hull is snow white, everywhere.

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The prices of premium, center console boats is borderline criminal. I believe this was mostly fueled by low interest rate, easy credit loans and the squandering of home equity. It will be interesting to see how many of these bass boats on steroids will survive the squeeze. For those CC builders gouging the public, I wish them a quick and speedy demise...

1. Jupiter - Although these boats are grossly overpriced, they have come into favor in recent years, sold on the premise of being an extremely strong, overbuilt boat and that's exactly what they are… overbuilt to the tune of 3,000 to 4,000 lbs. heavier than they need to be and overpriced to the tune of $50k to $100k, depending on length. There is no use of hi-performance, lamination technology to make them light or strong, just a heaping mound of resin that adds SO much weight, they now brag about being the best riding boat in their segment, of course failing to mention that it takes huge horsepower and your own personal oil reserve to keep them on plane. Consider yourself lucky to crack the 50 mph mark with a tail wind, down current, light on fuel and vapor escaping from your tanks. While speed isn’t everything, efficiency accounts for something. In that category, Jupiter's are a tug boat with a planning hull. Jupiter prides themselves on fit and finish, but that pride doesn't come through in their mold work. Eye the side of their new 29’, 34’ and 38’ hulls and you’ll see the same imperfections that caught my eye, a very inconsistent, wavey finish. In fact, I’ve seen better finishes from some of the Hialeah, warehouse-based boat builders (that’s not saying much!). You could attribute this to pulling the hull early and not properly supporting it before the superstructure was added, but I think these are just poorly maintained molds to begin with. Again, the sign of a builder with little care in building quality boats. To their credit, the ergonomics of Jupiter’s are among the best in the biz and the ride is exceptional, albeit a little wet compared to others due to weight.

2. Contender - A boat I never gave much attention to is the Contender. It’s a personal thing, I just don’t care for the lines of the boat and the accommodations & ergonomics are pretty basic. That said, I live in an area with a high concentration of center console boats, Palm Beach. Matter of fact, I live right next to a popular boat ramp and on weekends, I see 100’s of center consoles. A good number of them are Contenders. They are quite popular, but why? They are built much the same way as the Jupiter, but not quite as heavy, without any frills, at a price that leaves money left over for tackle and their mold work is excellent. They are simply a better value for the money, especially for guys that aren’t interested in making a statement, just getting to the fish and getting home.

3. Everglades - I haven’t spent any time on the water with an Everglades, but I’ve boarded them at boat shows. If I had the money to buy any of these boats, I would place it on my short list, sea trial pending. The sweep of the bow to the waterline, along the chine, makes me suspect these boats would slam in certain seas. Setting this aside, they are beautifully appointed boats with exceptional ergonomics. The protective, wrap windscreen is welcome, but the cut-outs in their t-tops, aft of the helm, is not. Don’t recall the reason for this, but prefer as much shade as I can get in the sun.

4. Intrepids - have been extremely popular as tenders over the past decade. As one of the original all foam, no wood boats, they quickly created a market that others have followed. I have no experience with them and have not looked at their specs because these boats remain so pricey, only a superyacht owner can afford them.

5. Donzi - Another popular CC, due to style, price point (and probably name recognition) is Donzi. For the inland, bay boater, I’m sure it will do just fine. But for those of us that run to the islands, I wouldn’t choose a production boat of this nature. I‘ve seen two of these boats return with broken bits, one with a center console lifted off the deck. I’ve heard this story from others as well.

6. Fountain - makes a fast center console because they are laid up light, have a ventilated hull and a step bottom. There’s a good selection of these boats in the used market as well. I’m not a fan of Reggie’s boats. I remember them all too well from the 90’s when people had to cut out interior liners to replace leaking gas tanks. I’m sure they’ve learned from past mistakes and taken corrective measures. Or have they?

7. Concept - I've looked closely at the hull and decks on the new Concept center console boats at the shows and can't find a straight line anywhere. Everything is crooked, with waves and inconsistency. They cover up this mess with fancy paint jobs. If the finish is a reflection on the laminate, I don't want to think about hitting a wave the wrong way. Your hull and deck are the foundation. Without a solid, well built base, no amount of paint, fancy bezels or pattern stitched interiors are enough to separate me from my better judgment. But, I regress… they recently built a 44’ center console that is an absolute stand-out in the market. I haven’t ridden in this boat, but I wouldn’t expect any surprises. The design, finish, ergonomics, amenities, rigging… are all present and accounted for. It’s an exceptional boat in the super-size, center console market.

8. Powerplay - There is one boat that stands out in my mind as the best center console ever built, however the company discontinued operations in 2005. If you can find one, it will serve you well for a lifetime. They are light, strong, very fast and super solid. The Powerplay 33’ Center Console. These boats were built by one of the most meticulous guys in boat building, using the same race boat methods and procedures that took him to national and world championships. The people that buy these boats are generally go fast guys that had Cigarettes, Apaches, Skaters, etc., but they grew up, slowed down and learned that a well-built boat without all the bells and whistles meant more time on the water. Danny Weinstein, the builder of these boats, employed a number of the original lay-up guys from Apache. They carved the plugs by hand (long before automated CNC routers) and they remain the truest, straightest hulls and decks in the business. The layup and finish is flawless. More importantly, go jump any size wave and I promise you, you won’t have any cracks. Equally, you won’t hear a thing while charging hard offshore. They are solid and quiet. If you can find one - BUY IT!

I never intended to sell this boat and I've taken care of so it would last a lifetime, but my needs have changed. This is someone's opportunity to purchase a very rare, very limited production boat that is still like new, at less than half the cost. Powerplay was recently resurrected by Tom Mason, who previously owned Midnight Express. A new Powerplay with a pair of 250's is $200k.